iPhone Ringtones

Our beautiful bird and wildlife calls and songs will sound great as your ringtones, alerts or as wake-up alarms to start your day right. All of our 100+ pre-formatted ringtones can be easily downloaded to your iPhone and used immediately.

If you are on your iPhone or iPadyou can choose the sounds you want, click the link which will take you directly to the ringtone in iTunes and you can download it immediately to your device.

If you are not on your iPhone or iPad you can listen to and choose the ringtones you want. To purchase and download them, you need to access our site from your iPhone. For more information, check our iPhone Ringtones FAQ Page.

Please use our sounds responsibly! They are extremely high quality and can be disruptive to birds and wildlife if misused. We recommend following the American Birding Association Code of Ethics .

This social woodpecker with a red head and white face is found in the northwest and southwest US and into Mexico. Their complex life in large groups is not the only thing that makes them different from other woodpeckers. Acorn Woodpeckers are known for caching huge numbers of acorns in holes they drill into trees. They typically choose one large tree which becomes their larder and is known as the “granary” where they will store tens of thousands of acorns. But their preferred food is insects. They live in family groups in which the juveniles stay for several years. Their populations have been stable, but the loss of oak forests and domestic herd overgrazing in their territories, combined with competition with aggressive non-native European Starlings are affecting their ability to maintain their numbers.

Look again, that small black bird on the lake is not a duck at all! The American Coot has a small head with a white bill and forehead, and is frequently seen mixed in with ducks and geese on lakes and ponds throughout the year. A member of the rail family, the American Coot isn’t as shy as its cousins, feeding plainly in sight on aquatic vegetation by diving or feeding with his head underwater, similar to other waterfowl. Somewhat awkward-looking on land, coots must run across long stretches of water to take flight. They build floating nests from plant material, and the young can swim right after they hatch.

The sound of these big black crows "cawing" is a familiar one throughout the US and Canada. Young crows are a parent's nightmare as they stay with their family until they find their own home which can take up to five years. Some crow families have 15 members living together!

At only 9 inches long, the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) aka "sparrowhawk", is North America's smallest and most colorful falcon. The male and female look similar, but the male is more colorful, with blue on his wings and head. Like all raptors, the female is larger than the male.Found in meadows, fields, and open grassland, American Kestrels are often seen perched on a wire or fencepost, hunting for small insects and mammals such as grasshoppers, mice, voles, and occasionally small birds.Kestrels are cavity nesters, using an old woodpecker hole or bird house for their 4-6 eggs. Around May, the eggs hatch and both parents incubate their eggs and feed the young. These elegant raptors have a limited number of calls, and the most familiar is this high-pitched kee!

Robins are the most common of all thrushes found in the US. Often associated with the first sign of spring, many of them actually spend the entire year in one place. Growing bushes near your home that have fruits and berries will help hungry robins through the winter. This lilting robin ringtone will give you a musical reminder of spring all year round.

Also known as a "Timberdoodle", this superbly camouflaged snipe-like bird has a football-shaped body, small head, and a very long beak. Unlike other shorebirds, Woodcocks feed in young forests where their camouflage coloring makes them difficult to see hidden in the leaf litter. They take slow steps, using their long, flexible beaks to probe the soil for their favorite food, earthworms. Their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head, but very far back and up high, making it possible for them to feed with their heads down while keeping watch for predators above. Woodcocks are known for their special buzzy "peent" sound, which the males make when they are doing aerial displays for females. For such bulky, quiet, and unassuming birds, their mating displays at dusk and dawn are something special to see, and the easiest way to see them.

The Bald Eagle was dubbed America’s national bird in 1782, much to the chagrin of Benjamin Franklin who suggested the Wild Turkey as the symbol of freedom and justice. Adults are distinguished by their full white heads and tails, but young birds are overall brown with some white mottling. Bald Eagles can live up to 28 years in the wild and will mate for life. They prefer areas around large bodies of water that are not overly developed as they can be sensitive to human activities. Eagles mainly feed on fish, but are not opposed to small mammals, birds and reptiles. They are also thieves! Bald Eagles are known to harass other birds of prey until they drop their catch and take it for themselves. Their calls are surprisingly small for such a large bird.

Look high in the trees to see this stunning songbird. With a bright orange and black body, and spectacular song, the males are heard and seen in leafy forests in the spring and summer east of the US Rocky Mountains. The Baltimore oriole is a weaver bird, and the more subdued looking females weave long sack-like nests that hang from tree branches, safe from predators. Baltimore orioles have a really distinctive song. It's one of our spring favorites -- make it your iPhone ringtone.

If you hear "who cooks for you, who cooks for you" in the middle of the night in the forest, chances are you are hearing a Barred owl. Opportunistic hunters, Barred owls will prey on rodents, birds and even crayfish which occasionally gives them pinkish color in their feathers.

Chickadees are energetic and acrobatic little birds. Their large head with a little black cap, and small body makes them appear almost round. Their tails are long and narrow, and their bills are short and thick. And, they have a distinctive call -- "chicka-dee-dee-dee." Chickadees love black oil sunflower seeds, so keep your feeders stocked with these and wait for the chickadees to arrive!
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This gorgeous grasslands bird has the longest migration of any North American songbird. In Spring they migrate from the rice fields and pampas (grasslands) of South America in Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina to the grasslands and hayfields of North America - a roundtrip that can total over 12,000 miles! They like returning to the same location each year to breed and will often raise nestlings with help from their offspring from earlier years, or from adults whose nests failed. Easy to identify, they are the only bird in North America who is black underneath and white on top....at least during breeding season. They undergo two complete molts which give them two completely different appearances - a South American look in winter and a North American look in summer.

This big male elk is bugling for his harem. During the rut cows and calves stay together in a group with one or two males. Once roaming all across North America, today they live in 25 US states and 7 Canadian territories. This ringtone is a great example of a bull elk bugle.

These small, long-legged, ground dwelling owls can be found from Canada into Central America. Burrowing owls actually live underground in holes which have mostly been dug by other animals. They eat small reptiles and insects, including scorpions, and are inhabitants of dry open areas from Canada into Central America. While they are not endangered as a species, their numbers are declining, and they are endangered in some areas. Their greatest threats are being hit by cars and prairie dog control programs. They have a wonderful two note song.

As you can hear in this ringtone, with the deepest of all goose voices, the Canada Goose has a distinctive look and is found all over North America, the UK and Northern Europe. Some birds stay in one place all year (like your local golf course maybe?) and some migrate between breeding grounds and wintering areas. Birds who are not breeding often go to a safe northerly place to molt.

As you can hear in this ringtone, with the deepest of all goose voices, the Canada Goose has a distinctive look and is found all over North America, the UK and Northern Europe. Some birds stay in one place all year (like your local golf course maybe?) and some migrate between breeding grounds and wintering areas. Birds who are not breeding often go to a safe northerly place to molt.

This denizen of the arid and rocky mountains and canyonlands of the western US like most wrens, has a really interesting song. Canyon Wrens are well adapted to their dry and rocky terrain where they are found climbing on rocks and looking for insects such as spiders in rock crevices With a white front, dark brown and rust body overall, they have very long beaks which they need to pry insects from between rocks. Finding a Canyon Wren is so much easier if you just listen for the song, which typically precedes the appearance of this attractive and musical wren.

All chickadees seem to share the same curiosity and enthusiasm, and Carolina Chickadees are no exception. These active little birds are also loyal to their mates, with many of them remaining in pairs for years. We can thank them for doing a superb job of insect control as they are eager gleaners of spiders and other insects. If you have a native plant garden or meadow, these birds will be regular visitors. They also will visit feeders and are especially fond of sunflower seeds and cracked corn.In winter, you can find Carolina Chickadees in flocks. Within these flocks, the birds live under a ranking system with the highest ranking members able to nest within the flock's range. Mated pairs look for a cavity or appropriate nest box where the female builds the nest and sleeps in the box or cavity during the season, while the male sleeps on a sheltered branch nearby. These are interesting little birds to watch. Their pretty little call is a good way to know that you are in the presence of a Carolina Chickadee.

It's very difficult to keep these little wrens quiet! Unlike other wrens, Carolina Wrens like to sing very loudly, and they sing a lot -- one captive male sang 3000 times in one day! They spend the majority of their time hopping very quickly on the ground

Found on every continent except Antarctica, the chicken is the most popular bird on Earth. They are also pretty smart. Chickens can identify over 100 different chickens and remember them in relation to their own "pecking order." (Try doing that yourself with your co-workers!) They live in a complex social system and have over 30 different calls that humans have been able to identify. This chicken clucking ringtone is just one example. And, yes, they are affectionate. First domesticated in S.E. Asia, chickens eventually made their way around world. Because of their popularity as food, they are often mass produced in huge factory farms and undergo selective breeding to produce over sized breasts. If you eat chickens try to get them from small farms which produce chickens and eggs humanely - free-range where chickens can do what they do best - scratch around with other chickens outside.

This striking diving duck is commonly found throughout North America, in northern Russia and Scandinavia. Easily identifiable with a greenish-black head and white spot on the cheek, adult Common Goldeneye males have stunning yellow eyes from which they derive their name. Females have a brown head but the same golden eyes. Goldeneye chicks have greyish-brown eyes when they are born, go through a purple and blue phase, and then their eyes reach this beautiful golden color at full maturity. Look for them breeding in the taiga in summer in Canada, and throughout the lower 48 states on open water in winter. They are cavity nesters and will nest in trees as well as nest boxes. After a few days in the nest cavity, the chicks are led to the water by their mother where they often join creches of other Goldeneye chicks.

The haunting call of the Loon is ubiquitous on lakes in the woods of the Northern US and Canada. The long, haunting song almost sounds like a wolf howl. They also have a distinct call that is called a "laugh" that sounds a little bit like a person laughing. All of their vocalizations are unique and beautiful, and help define the spirit of the northern wilderness.
Common Loons need wild places. Their heavy, torpedo-like bodies are built for swimming fast after fish in lakes and ponds. In fact, Common Loons are so well-made for swimming that they cannot walk on land. Their legs are so far back on their bodies, and their bodies are so heavy, that they cannot stand upright.
These birds' lives are completely linked to water and they go ashore only to raise their young. Mercury poisoning is a current threat to loons, as is lead poisoning from fishing sinkers. If you fish, think about using sinkers and jigs made from tin, steel or a tungsten-nickel alloy rather than lead. You'll be helping loons, eagles and lots of other animals! This beautiful loon call ringtone is a wonderful reminder of the deep woods.
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Nearly every other winter, the Common Redpoll is a welcome winter visitor to backyard feeders. Shortages of seed crops in the northern forest cause massive flocks of redpolls to move south, invading bird feeders across the Northeast. The redpoll is a small-headed brown and white bird, with streaky sides, a red forehead, and black around a yellow bill. It’s easy to mistake a Redpoll for a similar-looking House Finch, but no other finch has black around the bill on the face. Often seen in groups, Redpolls can sometimes “take over” your bird feeders with flocks numbering more than a hundred individuals! You can attract Redpolls to your yard by offering fresh niger (thistle) seed in multiple finch feeders during the winter months.

Cooper's Hawks are members of the genus Accipiter, sharing that genus with two other forest-loving hawks, the Northern Goshawk and the Sharp-shinned Hawk. Cooper's Hawks get their name from naturalist William Cooper, one of the founders of the New York Academy of Science.Homeowners with bird feeders may notice that their feeders have become a birdy buffet, not just for the birds eating the birdseed, but for the birds that like to eat feeder birds! Cooper's Hawks have learned to hang out near bird feeders and pick off the little birds that like to eat bird seed. This is why it is important to place bird feeders near cover, such as a bush or hedge, so that the little birds have a place to escape and hide from this quick and agile predator.

Our first true bird of winter is the Dark-eyed junco. These medium-sized sparrows have an overall gray or dark brown appearance with a white belly and a pink bill. They spend their summer breeding along the western mountains and well into Canada and then as the weather gets colder, they invade North American backyards by the thousands. Spending much of their time on the ground, they hop around the bases of trees or underneath feeders looking for fallen seeds. If you keep your feeders full throughout the winter, there will most likely be a flock of Dark-eyed juncos in your yard! These pretty slate gray harbingers of winter have a loud yet very sweet sounding call.

One of the best ways to tell the difference between donkeys and horses are by their ears - donkeys are the ones with the really big ears. For thousands of years, Donkeys have been kept and used by people for a lot of things. But, unlike horses, donkeys seem to have their own minds and prefer to so what is best for the donkey. Sometimes, this is not what the human wants, and so there is often a standoff. Donkeys are also great guard animals and, will develop a strong bond with them so that one donkey can protect an entire herd of sheep or goats on his own. Donkeys are also terrific companion animals to other animals. Since they are very friendly, they will encourage the animals they are with to be the same. Young foals (baby horses) are sometimes given a donkey as a companion to make it easier for them when they are separated from their mother. This is good for the donkey, too, who like us, really needs friendship. Get this friendly donkey ringtone for you iPhone.

With their bright yellow breasts and beautiful “V” necklace, it’s hard to believe meadowlarks are members of the blackbird family. There are two species of meadowlarks – eastern and western – and they are very difficult to tell apart. That is, until they sing. Both have beautiful songs, but very different. The Western Meadowlark has a beautiful complex fluty song; and his Eastern counterpart….a lovely song but a little simpler. Meadowlarks are grassland birds, and Western Meadowlarks can be found in mixed flocks feeding on the ground in the mid-west and western US; Eastern Meadowlarks in the mid-west and eastern US and into Mexico and northern South America. Their territories only occasionally are shared and they rarely hybridize. Both nest in Canada and in the northern US – on their respective sides of the continent! Males in both species of meadowlark have two mates.

The Eastern Screech Owl has a variety of calls. The most well-known sounds like a ghostly horse winny. The Eastern Screech owl comes in two color morphs, with the red color morph being much less common than the grey.

If you hear "drink your teeeeaaa" coming from a field edge or a scrubby area, you are hearing the call of one of North America's largest and most beautiful sparrows. The Eastern towhee doent look at all like a sparrow - colorful and plump - but they exhibit sparrow behavior like scratching on the ground in leaf litter for fruits, nuts and insects. If you live in the Eastern US, when its warm you may find an Eastern towhee coming out of the dense brush to get to the cracked corn at your feeder.

This big male elk is bugling for his harem. During the rut cows and calves stay together in a group with one or two males. Once roaming all across North America, today they live in 25 US states and 7 Canadian territories. This ringtone is a great example of a bull elk bugle.

So many frogs so many choices! This is a very busy pond with all these different frogs talking at the same time. They're all battling to be heard over each other, and this ringtone is a great way to get attention when your phone rings, too.

The Tiger of the Sky is a mighty predator, even killing osprey and other owls. It is the widest ranging of all owls in North America, and is often harassed by flocks of crows. This owl's hoot is a familiar sound from the woods and makes a great ringtone.
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What this plain brown bird with a spotted breast lacks in flashy looks, he makes up for with a haunting and ethereal song. Found across North America in a wide variety of habitats, Hermit Thrushes breed in Canada and the western US, and overwinter in the US and Mexico. Depending on where they live, these birds might build their tidy round nests lined with catkins or other soft materials on the ground or in shrubs. And aren’t we lucky to have insectivores like these thrushes who feast on insects like beetles, spiders, wasps and flies! Always a welcome visitor, Hermit Thrushes might visit your backyard, but it won’t be at your feeder. They are looking for insects and berries, so planting native plants that offer fruits to these migrating birds will help attract them to your yard, and you may hear this beautiful song.

Horses have been used by humans for many things including plowing, transportation, food and in war. The first horses lived around 50 million years ago and had toes, not hooves. Horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal, they have a range of vision of 350 degrees and can see in two colors. Horses are social animals and can live 25 years in small herds in the wild. They have a complex sort of communication which includes sound and body language. Since they spend many years together with the same animals in their herd, they form close emotional bonds with them. While "breaking" horses often using very harsh tactics for many years was the preferred method of training them, many people have found that learning how to communicate with horses through understanding their behavior and body language to train them is a better, safer and faster training method for both the horse and the human.

Originally a native of the American Southwest, wild caught House Finches were caged and illegally sold as "Hollywood Finches" to the early 20th Century pet trade. When a few were set loose in the East in the early 1940's, they did extremely well. And now the lovely song of this little "exotic species" is one of the harbingers of Springtime throughout the US. Recognized by his bright red head and irrepressible desire to sing during breeding season, the highly adaptable House Finch is now found on feeders and in urban areas around the country.

House Wrens are plain brown birds with a bubbly, beautiful song. They will readily nest in a nest box, but you can find them all sorts of other strange places. House Wrens will build a nest in rubber tires, Christmas wreaths and even old boots.
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The Mallard duck is found in freshwater lakes and streams all across North America. This male has the gorgeous green iridescent head for which Mallards are known. The females are much less flashy and their brown feathers blend in well as they incubate the eggs and care for their ducklings. This mallard duck quack ringtone makes a great message alert.

The soulful cooing of the mourning dove is a familiar sound through the US, Canada and into Mexico. Their nests are generally poorly constructed, and it often a wonder their eggs hatch at all! The male stands on the female's back and gives her nest materials which some say accounts for the untidy look of the nest. When these doves fly, their wings make a whistling noise. This cooing morning dove ringtone is a familiar sound.

This cheerful bright red bird is the state bird in 7 US states: IL, IN, KY, NC, OH, VA, WV. It is a beautiful and common feeder bird which has extended its range north in the last hundred years. And not just the males sing - females sometimes sing from the nest! Are they giving their mate their dinner order? This ringtone is the familiar melodious cardinal song.

FLICKA FLICKA FLICKA FLICKA! That's the sound of the Northern Flicker! The Northern Flicker is a type of woodpecker, but it looks very different from most other woodpeckers. Northern Flickers are about the size of an American Robin and males have a red mark on their faces that almost looks like a mustache. Their white rump patch is another distinguishing field mark easily seen in flight. Like many other woodpeckers, Northern Flickers can be heard drumming or hammering wood in search of soft grubs and other insects. Unlike most other woodpeckers, flickers are frequently seen hopping around on the ground looking for their favorite food, ants and beetles.

Northern Harriers are like a cross between a hawk and an owl; they normally hunt during the day, but have the round facial disc of an owl. This not only gives them the appearance of an owl, but also enables them to hunt by sound! This has given them their unique hunting style. Northern Harriers are often seen gliding low over a grassy field. All of the sudden you’ll see one drop down when it hears a prey item, such as a mouse, rustling in the grass. Harriers are also seen “stooping”, or diving straight down at prey like a falcon or buteo, or chasing down prey like an accipiter. Harriers really can do it all! Keep an eye out for a low-flying hawk with a flat, round face. They also have a white rump patch and a deep “V” shape to their wings when gliding. Adult males are pale gray, earning them the additional nickname of “gray ghost”.

These denizens of boreal forests from North America to Europe and Russia are appropriately named hawk owls as they are owls who look and behave a lot like hawks. Rodents comprise most of this owl’s dinners, and they can be found hunting rodents at any time day or night. One of the most unusual things about Northern Hawk Owls is that they have extremely good eyesight, and are able to visually find their prey up to a half mile away! This also makes them easier to see than other owls as they may be found during the day perched on top of tall trees searching for food. They also have good hearing and can pounce on rodents under snow. Like the Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owls will fly south in search of food in irruptions. This is a very unique owl with a distinctive call.

The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a small, secretive owl. Its favorite food is deer mice, and it usually gets two meals out of a single mouse. Its call is a clear, pure whistle, that sounds much like a human doing a repeated, tooting whistle. Since they are quite fond of evergreens, Christmas tree farms are a popular place to find Saw-whet owls.

Ospreys are found on all continents except Antarctica and are always found near bodies of water. They migrate from their breeding grounds to warmer climates where their main food, fish, is plentiful. These large predators hover over the water and then plunge in to get the fish which they hold in their talons as they fly back to their nests. Ever see a bird shaking in the air like a dog? This would be an Osprey! These very large birds are very happy to nest on platforms built for them, and raise their chicks, and these platforms have been very helpful in reestablishing birds after years of loss of eggs from DDT.

Peregrines are astonishing birds who can reach speeds of up to 69 mph flying in pursuit of prey and over 200 mph when in a "stoop" or dive. Unlike other hawks, Peregrines don't grab their prey with their talons, but hit them with enormous force, knocking them unconscious and easier to grab. The word "peregrine" means "wanderer" and this sleek, dark raptor has one of the longest migrations of any bird of prey. They are one of the most widespread bird species in the world, and their adaptability to life in cities has enabled them to come back from the brink of extinction. They can be found on almost every continent.

One of the smartest creatures in the barnyard is the pig. Thought to have an intelligence level of that of a 3 year old human child, pigs are smarter than dogs while just as friendly and affectionate. When allowed to live a natural life, they will hang out and play with other pigs, have strong friendships with them, make beds, lounge in the sun and protect each other. Some people think pigs are dirty, but this is not true. They are often found in the mud which they use like a spa to keep cool!. Mother pigs and their little piglets have a very strong bond, and in nature she is very choosy about where to build the nest for birthing or farrowing her piglets. Sadly, in factory farms pigs are not allowed to do any of these things. So, if you want to eat pigs, you might want to check out your local farmer who raises pigs in natural conditions so they can have some time to be pigs.

Efficient snappers-up of mosquitos and other undesirable insects during their summer nesting season, for many people, Purple Martins are an integral part of their backyards in summer. Arriving in early spring from their overwintering homes in South America, these strong flying birds, the males of which are a deep iridescent violet, are very social nesters. They will pile into one house with many nesting rooms in it, or an array of hollow gourds.Purple Martins, with their happy chattering sounds, have been favorites of humans for thousands of years. They naturally nest in cavities that have been excavated by woodpeckers, but Native Americans liked having these birds around and offered hollowed out gourds for them to nest in. With the loss of nesting sites in the wild, these birds have settled into a mutually beneficial relationship with humans who welcome them with much-needed homes to raise their chicks. Late in the summer, look for masses of martins and their offspring on wires as they prepare for the long flight south.

The most common hawk in the US, this large hawk is a familiar sight throughout North America and can be found in cities as well as in rural areas. Efficient hunters, they prefer to hunt from a perch and pounce on rodents and small mammals. They are best known for their red colored tails and there are numerous geographic variations in color. Many people are passionate about these hawks, and some of the more famous ones, like Pale Male who has taken up residence in a fashionable area of New York City, have become icons in the clash between humans and animals. They are monogamous and mate for life.

This vocal songbird is notable for the male's bright red epaulettes and distinctive song. Found liberally throughout the US in marshy and agricultural areas, the flashy males are polygamous and may have many females with nests throughout their territory. But, not all the chicks from these females are his - many are by males from adjacent territories! Get the red-winged blackbird ringtone for your cellphone.

It's hard to believe that this bird is not native to North America and Europe, but they were introduced from Asia as game for hunting and it is believed thy were brought to the UK as early as the 11th C. Known in Europe as the Common Pheasant, their numbers are declining as they nest on the ground in deep field cover and their nests are often destroyed by farming. As a result, many populations of these pheasants are artificially maintained by captive introductions. During the breeding season, the males have a harem which they defend from other males - sometimes in pitched battles.

Nothing like a rooster ringtone to wake up the neighbors. In free-roaming flocks, he's the one who guards the hens and oversees the complex social relationships of the flock. Clearly something to crow about!

If you see this gorgeous black and white bird with a scarlet chest at your feeder, it's a Rose-breasted grosbeak. You may first know he is around by his equally beautiful song. These birds arrive in late Spring from Central and South America, and some continue migrating through the US into northern Canada to nest. These birds are named for their thick ("gros" in French) beaks which can handle seeds, insects and fruit. They are often found in wooded areas and if you are lucky enough to have one of these birds at your feeder, keep it stocked with sunflower seeds and raw peanuts if you want them to stick around. Their lovely song is similar to a Robin's lilting sound, but considered to be even more sweet and beautiful.

Sandhill Cranes are very tall birds that are gray overall with a beautiful red crown. They form large flocks in the winter and forage for grains along the grasslands and wetlands of the southwest. Congregations of over 500,000 cranes occur along the Platte River in Nebraska in February and March. They also spend much of January in the southwest from Texas to California. Their common name comes from the Sandhills of Nebraska, which is considered to be their most important stopover point during migration. Their distinctive bugling call can be heard up to two miles away!

Sheep were domesticated between 9000 and 11000 years ago and they are found anywhere humans are as they are adaptable to different habitats and humans use them for many things - from wool to meat. They tend to flock together as a survival tactic - so predators cannot easily pluck one on its own. In fact, sheep become very stressed when separated from their herd members. Sheep can be very destructive grazers, and can cause a lot of damage. However, sheep are an environmentally friendly help in forestry, agricultural clearing as well as just mowing your lawn as long as they are left to graze for a short period of time.

These pretty and sociable white geese with black wingtips have made a huge recovery since their numbers declined nearly 100 years ago due to over-hunting. Snow Geese nest on the high arctic tundra in Canada, Alaska, Greenland and Siberia, and during migration can be seen in huge numbers in staging areas. They are fast, high-altitude flyers and are easily found when on the ground as their sound generally precedes them!

Found in backyards across the US and Canada, this songbird has a delightful and unique song. This mostly monogamous sparrow has a mating ritual where the male pounces near the female to get her attention. While they can live to over 11 years, most wild sparrows do not see even their first birthday. But, those song sparrows who do live through the winter, continue to delight us year after year with their beautiful songs. Capture the song sparrow's tune as a ringtone for your cellphone.

These cute little birds with the fluffy tuft on top of their heads, frequent bird feeders in the eastern United States and are easy to identify. Their backs and heads are plain grey, and their bellies are cream colored with a flush of rose on their flanks. And of course, the tiny little pointed grey caps are where they get the “tufted” part of their name. Today, the Tufted Titmouse is a common sight in many northern states, happily jumping around backyards throughout the winter. But 25 years ago things were different. Tufted Titmice, Northern Cardinals and several other bird species have expanded northward as our winters have become milder. Peter peter peter peter peter!That’s the sound of a Tufted Titmouse.

This shorebird bird is unusual in that it lives not at the shore, but in grasslands. Since the Passenger pigeon became extinct due to hunting, this sandpiper has been a target. This coupled with shrinking North American grasslands given over to agriculture and suburbs has put continuing pressure on this bird. This is a beautiful shorebird whose call, as well as choice of habitat, is extremely unusual.

With their bright yellow breasts and beautiful “V” necklace, it’s hard to believe meadowlarks are members of the blackbird family. There are two species of meadowlarks – eastern and western – and they are very difficult to tell apart. That is, until they sing. Both have beautiful songs, but very different. The Western Meadowlark has a beautiful complex fluty song; and his Eastern counterpart….a lovely song but a little simpler. Meadowlarks are grassland birds, and Western Meadowlarks can be found in mixed flocks feeding on the ground in the mid-west and western US; Eastern Meadowlarks in the mid-west and eastern US and into Mexico and northern South America. Their territories only occasionally are shared and they rarely hybridize. Both nest in Canada and in the northern US – on their respective sides of the continent! Males in both species of meadowlark have two mates.

This member of the Nightjar family has large eyes to help him hunt insects at night. This bird with the distinctive voice tells you his name in his call whip-poor-will! Birds in the east accent the first and last syllables of the call, while those in the west place the accent on the last note. Listen to see if you can tell whether this whip-poor-will ringtone is an eastern or western bird.

Some people think this bird is singing Oh Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada which is where they breed almost exclusively. This is a familiar singing sparrow whose white throat and yellow patches in front of his eyes are his distinguishing features.

These gorgeous finches are boreal forest inhabitants and are designed to retrieve the heavily protected seeds of white pines with unusual beaks precisely adapted to this. The upper mandible is much longer than the lower, and they cross one another. This enables the bird to pry open pinecones and easily remove the seeds hidden deep inside. In fact, these birds are so well designed to eat these seeds that they may eat 3000 of them in one day! If you are unsure from a distance what finch you are looking at, just listen as White-winged Crossbills have a lovely and unmistakable song.

There are 15 species of cranes that live across the world, but the rarest crane lives in North America. In 1941 only 22 wild birds existed as they were hunted for their feathers, and it seemed the Whooping Crane was effectively extinct. A group of passionate conservationists started a captive breeding program now there are about 600 Whooping Cranes in the wild. However, while there is progress, they remain on the Endangered Species List.Our thanks to

Wild turkeys in the 19th century were hunted almost to extinction, but are making a comeback. Some native American tribes refused to hunt the birds because they consider them stupid and were afraid of acquiring the same characteristic after eating them! These birds are polygamous, and the male uses his fanned tail and the gobble in this ringtone to attract females to his "harem".

Wolves form close social groups and are important predators in the areas they inhabit. After years of being driven out, the unearthly wild wolf howl is returning to its original North American range through re-introduction of captive bred wolves. Before wolves head out to hunt, the pack often gathers together for a howling session. This haunting sound can be heard for miles, and on a dark chilly night, the mournful howls can sound pretty chilling, like this wolf howl ringtone.

One of the most beautiful, elegant and possibly one of the quirkiest ducks in North America is the Wood duck. With the male’s gorgeous colors, beautifully patterned feathers and green crest, he is a delight to behold. This duck, not surprisingly, loves the woods and truly make it his home. Wood ducks will nest in holes at a good height in trees and are the only ducks equipped with claws. They will also nest in nest boxes put up around the edges of wooded lakes. The males make a sort of whistling sound.

There are few warbler species quite as brilliantly colored as the Yellow Warbler. Males tend to have orange streaks on the breast and both males and females have yellow patches on their tails. They are typically found along the edges of wetlands where they like to build their nests. Long distance migrants, they travel from Canada to South America every year. Yellow Warblers face many challenges along the way and have been known to even become entangled in the web of an orb weaver spider. Their song is a perfect ringtone as they say, “sweet-sweet-sweet-I’m-so-sweet”.

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Birdwatching in New York City and on Long Island

Co-authored by Deborah Rivel, owner of Wildtones, this book is a detailed insider’s guide to the best places to find birds in New York City and on Long Island in all seasons. Find out more